So how was my first day going solo in the boat?

I actually blew the front seal of my boat's engine about 2 hours into my tour and had to return to the harbor after only taking 3 pictures....

Day two of my first week soloing in my boat:  I was actually in a spare boat as my engine was still in the shop.  Then about 4 hours into my day the power steering hose blew in the boat.  So, back to the harbor.  That is after waiting about 2 hours for the mechanics to find me.  They got lost twice on the way out to assist on my way back....

Day three started out the same way for someone else....  I had to make a run to the local sea plane dock in Craig, Alaska with the Marketing guy for the Waterfall Resort because another boat broke down and the shuttle boat was sent our to cover the broken down fishing boat.  Then, the guide for the shuttle boat (Craig) and I headed out for pictures after our 2 hour detour.  We witnessed a battle between two bull sea lions on one of the rocky capes, with the loser heading back into the sea...  Above the jagged rocks where the sea lion beds were thousands of bald eagle's keeping a watch on the spectacle below.

Tomorrow I have my first day off in the past 10 days....   I will not be up at 5:15am....!   Tomorrow...

But, I will not ever get tired of driving around looking at all of my God's creation...!  There are hundreds of whales and sea otters.  Thousands of eagles and fish...   Snow capped mountains, many islands with small inlets and coves.  I just stand amazed that I am here!

Rick's first day off does not coincide with Gwen's.  Gwen got to sleep in a couple of days ago and do laundry and clean the room.  She also got a chance to visit with some of the other staff here at Waterfall.  There are many wonderful people working here.  It is a great chance to get to rub shoulders with people of all ages and backgrounds.

I (Gwen) have been able to create hundreds of fruit baskets for the guest rooms, stock and re-stock all the drinks sold here and some of the clothing...fill out hundreds of Alaska Fishing Licenses and even got to be the Salmon Derby Hostess for a day (filling in for Stephanie's day off).  The Derby Hostess records all of the biggest salmon and halibut caught on any of the 25 boats that day and announces the winners at the evening meal.  Tomorrow will be a "turnover day" for me, which means that we will be checking out about 85 people and welcoming the same number in the afternoon!  It will be very busy!  Huge groups of men (mostly) very eager to get right out to their boat to fish!

I better get to sleep.  We are getting used to going to bed before 9pm, so that we can be up and to work by 6am.  The sun only sets for about 3 hours a night here, so we go to bed in the light and wake to the light!  We have been thoroughly enjoying the hard work and time to live in this beautiful place!